Oh my god, how long has it been? This story has been completely revised during Camp NaNoWriMo and I have made some major changes. I recommend reading through it again, just to catch those changes.

Not that you remember anyway. After all, it's been nearly four or five months since I last updated.

/

"Yo, Gai! You made it!"

I waved, pushing the hanging aside to enter the bar from which my friends had greeted me. "Hey, Kakashi! Asuma! How's life?"

"Same as always," Kakashi slapped me on the back as I took a seat next to him. "Heard you just got off a mission."

"Psh! Mission! It was barely a workout." And it certainly had been. Delivering messages was a poor excuse for a mission. It was genin work, but times were peaceful and honest-to-goodness, rightful shinobi work was not necessary or easy to come by.

Asuma laughed, a laugh as vibrant and youthful as he was. "You take life too seriously, Gai! These easy times aren't going to last!"

Kakashi lifted his glass lightly and waved it, stating, "Here's to hoping."

"Kakashi! That's a terrible thing to say!" I scolded. "We should always pray and hope for times of peace!"

"And we do, but no one should have too much of a good thing," Kakashi waved down the bartender and turned to me. "What're you drinking, Gai? Domestic?"

I waved the suggestion away politely. "I'll pass."

Kakashi stared as if he had not heard me. "Import? That's not like you."

"No, rival. I'm passing altogether."

Asuma leaned over to stare at me, as well. "Why?"

My lips curled until I was practically beaming. How could I keep such amazing and wonderful news to myself? I was just dying to tell absolutely everyone, so with a smile as wide as a mile, I announced loudly and proudly: "I'm getting kids!"

"With what woman!"

I shot Kakashi a nasty look. "You know what I mean, Kakashi. The Academy is about to graduate a powerful and elite class and I want in on all that raw youth!"

Asuma chuckled, raising his glass to his lips. "Already, Gai? You've still got a bit of youth in you yourself."

"More than a bit, Asuma! But all that youth comes with its follies and I've got to keep those in check, starting with my bad habits!"

"You don't even have them yet," Kakashi murmured absently, rolling his eyes. "And why are drinking? You're a grown man. It's your right to drink. Why not give up something easier, like women?"

I scoffed lightly. "Kakashi, I already respect women and do not sleep around with too many-"

"More like any."

"-Women are not my problem! But, what if my students see me drinking and decide they want to follow sensei's example? They'll start drinking underage and the next thing you know, they'll be robbing little old ladies to pay for drug addictions!"

"That's a little over-dramatic, Gai-"

"It is unacceptable and I will not be responsible for that. I also won't be responsible for things like foul language, smoking, pornography or any such unsavory acts- no offense, Asuma."

Asuma took out his pack of cigarettes and tapped one out. "None taken."

"What about me? I'm a little offended by the pornography comment."

"Shut up, rival. I do not condone your filthy smut books."

"Romance."

"Porn."

Kakashi shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I guess it's a noble and self-sacrificing task anyway, so why not start early?"

"Precisely, Kakashi! I'm glad you see it my way!" Then I remembered something very important and my grin immediately disappeared. "Hey, why have I not heard anything about your team yet, rival? You did sign up for a team, didn't you? You said you'd do it with me."

Kakashi rolled his eyes absently, swirling the sake around in his glass. "Yeah… well, my application was late and there was this cat-"

"Like hell, rival. Be serious. Did you skip out on your promise to me? We agreed we would do this together!"

Kakashi set his glass down and put his hands up disarmingly. "Alright, alright. I'll admit it. I didn't do it. It wasn't because I didn't want to, Gai. I just don't think I could handle it if… well, you know."

I leaned forward expectantly. "If what? If you are worried about failing, I assure you that you are most capable and that you would be an excellent teacher, even if you are rough around the edges as a role model!"

"Oh no, no, no. It's not that. It's just that…" Kakashi shuddered, turning to Asuma. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you, Asuma?"

Asuma nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I know. That's why I didn't go for it this year either."

"What? What?!" I implored insistantly. "Why didn't you guys get teams this year? What are you so worried about?"

"You really don't know, Gai?" Kakashi looked around, exchanged an uneasy glance with Asuma, then leaned in and whispered, "They're graduating Neji Hyuuga this year."

"Neji Hyuuga?" I thought back, thinking of the child that was being praised as a prodigy and a powerful son of the Hyuuga clan. I shrugged. "So?"

"So?" Kakashi sounded surprised, confused even. "Gai, I'd be a little more concerned if I were you."

I shrugged. "Why? He's just a child."

Kakashi looked over to Asuma, who shook his head as if he pitied me. Kakashi turned back and his voice dropped to a foreboding whisper. "That's the thing, Gai. He's not just a kid. Hell, he's might not even be human."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, Kakashi. Now whose being dramatic?"

Kakashi shook his head, never taking his eyes off me. "You don't get it, Gai. Haven't you heard? At least five of his teachers quit."

"I heard he made one of them wet himself," Asuma chimed.

I frowned suspiciously, but I could feel my heard beginning to race. "I've never heard of such instances. All I have heard is that he is truly a genius."

"Psh, an evil genius. I've heard from Iruka that his Byakugan is so powerful, it can see into your very soul and read your greatest fears and weaknesses; and he's brutal. One of those teachers ended up killing herself."

"Suicide rate in students went up when he entered, too," Asuma added. "Apparently it's not so fun being his classmate either."

"No kidding. They're all afraid to spar with him and with the suicide rate being what it is, it makes you wonder if they're actually killing themselves…"

My heart leapt. "What? Kakashi! Don't say such things!"

"Didn't you wonder why they were graduating such a small class this year?"

"I… I figured they just had a lot of dropouts…" Now that I thought about it, every time I visited the Academy in the months before there had been less and less students and the graduating class was now just nine or ten individuals.

"No. Apparently this kid's already mastered the Gentle Fist."

"That's impossible-!"

"I'm telling you, Gai," Kakashi warned softly, eying me with his good eye. "You'd best do everything in your power to make sure you don't end up with this kid."

"How…" My voice broke. I cleared my throat. "How do you know all this? The Academy teachers are horrible gossips! They blow things way out of proportion all the time!"

"The Hyuuga are the worst gossips in the village, but you wouldn't doubt their knowledge," Kakashi retorted firmly. He picked up his glass again. "Besides… they're scared of him, too."

I could not stop myself from swallowing nervously. "How… how do you know?"

"I've seen the way they look at him. I delivered a message to one of their elders and I saw several of them step out of his way. It's a fact, Gai, that Hyuugas don't move aside for anyone."

I felt a tremor go down my legs. I glanced over to Asuma, who was nodding in somber agreement. My hands began shaking. "I don't believe you. Either of you. The Hokage would never-"

"Gai, that kid is going to be a great ninja one day. It's in the Hokage's best interest to keep him around. At least… until he snaps, but by then…" Kakashi paused and gave a little shudder. "Who knows?"

The shaking got worse until I could feel it in my jaw. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering. Surely…! Surely…!

Kakashi shrugged and suddenly cheered up, downing his glass of sake and taking a generous refill. "Well, no worries, Gai! I'm sure you'll be okay. Right, Asuma?"

"Naturally," Asuma grinned and reached around Kakashi to give me a fond pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure you can handle whatever the Hokage throws at you."

I was still clenching my teeth, so all I could do was nod. I slid out of my seat carefully.

"Aw, where are you going, Gai?" Kakashi complained. "The night's still young!"

I shook my head. "T… training. You're right. The night is indeed still young!"

I waved a fast goodbye and made a beeline to the training grounds where I fully intended to train the thoughts of this horrifying child out of my head. I heard Kakashi and Asuma's laughter echo in my head for most of the way.